Solar success cannot be denied

30th Apr 2013

Even with all the progress that has been made in environmental awareness, there are still those who campaign against renewable energy technology and are content to continue burning fossil fuels for power to their heart's content.

However it cannot be denied that solar power and other renewable technologies are cost effective ways of dealing with our energy demand as a nation and as a world.

What makes more sense than using natural resources that will never run out?

Researchers from Australia's Centre for Policy Development (CPD), a public interest think tank, are supportive of this notion in their report titled Going Solar: Renewing Australia’s electricity options.

Many of those who oppose the proliferation of solar power claim that it will actually raise costs for the average energy consumer.

This is, however, no more than a myth and the reality is that solar power does save on costs.

"Support for rooftop solar costs much less than investing in networks to meet surging peak demand on hot summer days. For example, an air conditioner adds $2,400 of grid costs which must be subsidized by all electricity customers," said authors Laura Eadie and Cameron Elliott in their report.

"Network charges added almost $300 to the average household bills over the five years to 2012. Support for all renewable electricity, including large scale projects, added less than $80.28."

The CPD report states that in order to continue reliable and responsible customer service in the industry with reduced installation costs, the federal government must maintain the Renewable Energy Target and the current small-scale solar scheme.

Solar power can in fact protect Australia from future price shocks, as if Australia continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels for its energy production, volatilities in gas prices caused by events such as droughts have the potential to shake up its prices.

"These price shocks could be similar in size to the $300 rising network charges added to the average annual household bill since 2007.By comparison, the Renewable Energy Target is projected to add $15 a year to the average household electricity bill between 2013 and 2031," says the CPD report.

Information made available in this CPD report shows that it is high time for those who continue to deny solar power to address the reality of its many benefits and begin to support a technology that can have the potential for so much good.